


Fireflies

by dorkpatroller



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Gen, a lesson in letting the things you love be free, but he's a good one, domestic cutes, family cutes, orion is an oc, parenting at its best, patron fic, put ur faith in me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 23:53:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11391018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorkpatroller/pseuds/dorkpatroller
Summary: Niles always did love the stars the most. His son just wanted to give them to him.





	Fireflies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lieano](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lieano/gifts).



> A patron request for @lieano. Orion is a zerodin OC child don't worry about him. He's good and pure and thinks bugs and niles are cool and odin and his sisters are not. (but he is a good boy and he loves them.)

Odin doesn’t ask for a lot from his children. He finds they tend to make the right decisions on their own. Probably because, as parents, he and Niles have worked hard to give them everything they never had: structure, support, routine.

Still, there are curfews in place for a reason. Nohr is a much safer place after the war, but in the inky black of night, there are still ne’er-do-wells who might steal or murder or sweep away a child to be sold or worse. Be home when it is too dark to see without lantern light.

Odin finds himself looking at his family proudly. Their home is a cottage. With their connections to Prince Leo, it is no doubt they could afford more luxury, but there is something peaceful and wholesome about a cottage at the edge of town. Close enough to Krakenburg that Niles still easily maintains his role as a retainer. Odin chose to take up a different role after the war, but he is still very close to the prince.

Niles is napping. He is half laid over the modest sofa and half dangled over the floor. Ophelia and Nina are both by the hearth, sprawled over the rug and reading. Here or there one of them will point to something or force the other to read their own book. That they get along so well is a blessing.

That said, there is one member of his tiny family missing. Odin slips up the stairs to explore but he finds nothing but empty bedrooms. The washroom is empty, as is the kitchen… but when Odin finally takes a moment to peer out the kitchen window, he notices a lantern set in the grass and the silhouette of his ever-elusive son not far from it.

He is only three. He doesn’t truly have any business being outside so late alone, let alone lighting a lantern on his own. Odin slips out the door to go fetch him. What he finds as he approaches is Orion standing, barefoot and exasperated, with a glass jar held out to the air.

As he approaches a twig snaps under his foot. The lantern light just barely catches the green of Orion’s eyes when he spins on his heel to face Odin. “Dad,” he gasps. He lowers the jar and takes a few steps closer. “I need help.”

Odin kneels to be at his son’s height. “A true hero helps anyone in need,” he says with a playful smile. “Although he prefers when those in need ask politely. What ails you, is it this jar? Tell me how it has wronged you.”

Orion brightens up with a wide grin. He hugs the jar and looks around Odin towards the house. “Tomorrow is Papa’s birthday,” He whispers. Odin looks over his shoulder. No one is near the door or outside with them, but he humors his son and whispers as well.

“That it is. Yours as well, lest you forget. What does this have to do with the jar?” Odin asks. He hesitates when Orion stands on his toes and puts his hands up to whisper directly into his ear. Then a warm smile works its’ way over his lips. He nods his head. “A marvelous idea!”

…

Niles never made much of his birthday. Specifically, because he scorned it for so many years that it seemed silly to celebrate it. Years with Odin has taught him that, even if he still wonders if he deserves the life he has now, Odin will make a big deal out of it. It was annoying once or twice but… now it is endearing. When Nina was so small and she gave him a stone she had picked out all on her own (no doubt from the side of the road) she was so proud she got her papa a birthday gift. Niles was very proud to be her papa, that day. And, he supposes, all days. Even if they butt heads here or there.

When Orion joined their little family his birthday became a little brighter. Sharing it with his son forces him to celebrate. He thinks it might be for the best. That said, he hasn’t seen much of Orion this evening. Niles said nothing when he didn’t have a gift for him. Orion is three, he doesn’t really need to be worrying about buying his old man gifts when it’s also  _ his _ birthday. Niles is happy to just see his son smiling and blowing out birthday candles.

…And then, suspiciously, he does not see his son at all. He wanders the house to find him if only because it seems odd for him to be hidden away on his own birthday. When he does find him he’s out in the field near the house. It’s just evening and the sky is still a little light, but Niles walks out to speak with him anyway.

Right away he notices a glowing light. At first, he thinks it may be a lantern, but… it’s a jar. Orion turns around and holds it out for him. Niles takes it. It isn’t warm to the touch. It only takes him a moment to realize it is filled with a handful of grass and some fireflies. “Mm, what’s this?”

“I got it for you for your birthday,” Orion says. He bounces on his feet. He looks excited. Who is Niles to think a jar of bugs is a bad gift? “Dad helped.”

That sounds about right. Niles crouches in front of Orion and puts a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you. But why fireflies?”

“Um,” Orion looks worried. Maybe like he did something wrong. Niles isn’t saying that at all. Yet. “You said you like the stars best. Dad said fireflies make const…palations.”

Ah. Niles raises his brows and an amused smirk comes over his face. He looks at the jar in his hand again. “You gave me the stars for my birthday,” He muses. What a sweet boy he has. He settles on the ground, crosses his legs, and he pulls Orion into his lap. He holds the jar in front of him and asks, “Do they look like constellations to you?”

Orion shifts. Maybe to get comfortable. “No,” He says. He sounds bitter about it. “They just look like bugs. They aren’t flying or anything.”

“Mm,” Niles hums. “Where are the other stars?”

“In the sky.”

Niles nods his head. He leans down and buries his nose in the top of Orion’s hair. He’s a smart boy. He’ll get it.

Orion speaks quietly. “We should let them go..?”

There it is. Niles sets the jar down in his son’s lap and hugs Orion around his shoulders. “Smart boy.” He says softly. “The stars belong to the sky. So do the fireflies. But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy them, together.”

Orion shifts the jar around in his hands. How? “How will we, if they fly away?”

“We can watch the stars together. You and me, and I’ll show you all my favorite constellations. Alright? Are you ready to let them go?”

“Dad helped me name them,” Orion pouts. “Do you really think that makes them burn brighter?”

Niles snorts and he twists the lid off the jar. Orion overlaps his hand so he can pop off the top. Together they watch the bugs flitter away into the night. With a little shake for motivation. “I absolutely do.” Niles hums. “I’m sure they’ll find their firefly families and share their new names with them.”

“They were kind of dumb names.”

Niles snorts. “Don’t tell your father that.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> HEY if you haven't already please check out my Tumblr where you can learn more about me and get information on my writing commissions and also my patreon! http://www.dorkpatroller.tumblr.com


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